Artland interview

On a mission for the sake of art

"In my opinion, art is for sharing. It is a beautiful way to connect with people and initiate dialogue about how we navigate in this world."

Interview with Mattis Curth, CEO Artland

Tell us a bit about Artland and where the idea came from?

In the process of buying my first piece of art, I felt that something was missing. I had tons of questions which I was eager to get answered, but it was difficult for a newcomer like me to find the information I needed. The art world seemed rather closed and exclusive, and I felt that I was standing on the border to a land of great inspiration, creativity, and beauty, but I did not have the license to cross. My generation is so used to the digital world, we look all things up on the Internet, but the art world did not seem to fully embrace the digital trends. There are so many opportunities to let people into the art world with just a few clicks, and yet, my way into the field of art was quite a challenge, because my usual way of finding information was simply not an option.

Also, I thought it was difficult to find likeminded art collectors to talk to about the different kind of pieces that I wanted to acquire. I missed a place for people with the same passion. Someone who I could talk about art with - none of my friends were really interested in art and I felt a need to share my newly found passion.

After acquiring my first pieces of art, I tried to find somewhere to register my collection, both as a way to collect information for my insurance and to showcase my growing collection to the world. In my opinion, art is for sharing. It is a beautiful way to connect with people and initiate dialogue about how we navigate in this world. However, I couldn’t find a place to do it without paying a lot of money for it. Why wasn’t there a free tool to use?

Who are the people behind Artland?

The Artland team is combined of art enthusiasts, software engineers and entrepreneurs. It is a young and ambitious team with great experience from the startup world. Not least, we are driven by a passion for art and a wish to open up the doors to the art world, so that anyone has the opportunity to explore its wonders.

Team Artland (a couple of people missing). Photo Sofus Graae.

"we are driven by a passion for art and a wish to open up the doors to the art world, so that anyone has the opportunity to explore its wonders."

What is the wider vision behind Artland?

Our vision is to make it easier to collect art and connect with peers all around the world. In other words, we want to give everyone a chance to experience and understand art, so I guess it is a kind of democratization process. We will lower the barriers for newcomers to enter the art world and create a community for established players to share their passion. The (art) world is in constant motion and we want to move along with it, explore hidden paths and set new footprints in order for our users to do what they love - follow their passion for art.

Who is Artland aimed at?

Artland is both aimed at established collectors and newcomers who have a passion for art and wants to learn more and start up a collection. Artland helps new players to meet and learn from established and experienced ones as well as we help established and experienced players to meet peers and share their passion for art. We do that by building the first interconnected art community by emphasizing the influence of collectors in the art world. We aim to lower the barriers in order to make art an even more integrated part of the everyday life.

"Artland helps new players to meet and learn from established and experienced ones as well as we help established and experienced players to meet peers and share their passion for art."

In short, Artland is a social community for art collectors and art lovers which helps you to discover, buy and manage art in four different ways:

It gives you a tool to register and manage your art

It gives you a sales platform with artworks from galleries around the world

It gives you a comprehensive art guide with current and upcoming shows

It gives you an inspirational platform with articles, interviews and videos from the dynamic art scene

Do you think that Denmark/the Nordics are particularly receptive to digital innovation?

Copenhagen is a great hub for startups. There is a great vibe and energy from both founders and investors. More and more people choose to work in a startup which attracts great ressources and talented people. In Denmark, we have a great system for startups which makes it easy and safe to start a company. So we got both the great energy, an easy system and talented people - that is a great cocktail for a startup hub.

Why do you think the art world in general tends to be quite skeptical towards digital media and innovations?

I think that this is changing. Five years ago most people in the art world were skeptical about the digital media and innovations. Most people were afraid that the brick and mortar model would die out. Today, most people in the art world have seen or heard of the effect of the digitalization because the first movers have created good results - and they have seen that it is not on behalf of the physical locations. There are still skeptics but they are more concerned about which platforms they should use and how they can get most out of it.

What do you feel are the biggest changes the art world has gone through in terms of digitalization in the past few years?

As already mentioned, the art world has changed quite a lot and most stakeholders have realized the importance of the digital market. The biggest changes have been the digital availability of artworks and information which means that the habits of the buyers have changed. Today, many collectors discover a lot of the art they buy online and often new collectors start the process of buying art by exploring new artists online.

How has collecting changed in regards to this?

The market is faster today than it was before. A lot of pieces are sold before they are even shown in the galleries and you are able to buy a piece of art from your couch in Barcelona even though it is located in New York - you can even do it ten seconds after it has been posted on Instagram. So, in general, the digitalization has brought about completely new ways for collectors to explore and buy new art, and it keeps on developing. The new generation of collectors are confident in using digital media and it is natural for them to use it in all aspects of life - from grocery shopping to buying art.

Artland's booth at Code Art Fair 2017. Photo I DO ART Agency.

What changes are you hoping/expecting to see in the art world in terms of digital innovation?

Well, I think and hope that more people will become interested in art and that the market will expand because there are new opportunities to explore the art world. Actually only a few people, who have the financial capacity to buy art, are buying/collecting art. The digital era hopefully means that even more people will do it and that is a huge advantage for all stakeholders.

How does Artland play into that?

We aim to lower the barriers in order to make art an even more integrated part of people’s everyday life. This means that we collect all the data and make it accessible for the users at the right time. We do that by building a personal and easy to use product that connects the data needed to make it easier and more satisfying to navigate and participate in the art world. We are not on a mission to replace any players on the art scene. Rather, we would like to serve as an alternative or a supplement, so that art lovers have the best possible way to experience art.

What is the future for Artland?

The future of Artland is to expand to be a global art community. Really, art is not merely an object you hang on the wall or put next to that old vase on the sideboard. Art is an expression of human creativity - be it offline or online - which can be shared and explored across borders. The idea of sharing one’s great passion is exactly what Artland aims to foster and support. By creating a global art community, Artland connects art lovers from all over the world about that one thing we all have in common - our passion for art and a constant drive to seek out its potential.